


Revenant Commander

by malaxandrite



Series: Brothers All [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon-Typical Violence, Commander Ponds Deserved Better, Commander Ponds Lives, Episode: s02e22 Lethal Trackdown, Fix-It, No Beta We Die Like Clones, Pre-Relationship, Sort Of, just pretend that admiral killian died in the crash, this fic works so much better if all the hostages are clones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28844484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malaxandrite/pseuds/malaxandrite
Summary: Commander Ponds just got shot in the head. Why can Mace Windu still feel him in the Force?
Relationships: CC-6454 | Ponds & Mace Windu
Series: Brothers All [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114940
Comments: 14
Kudos: 89





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> The dialogue in the first part of this chapter is essentially word for word what is said in the episode, but we diverge from canon further on.  
> Later chapters will go into more detail about Ponds' head wound so be aware of that.

Mace feels the Force draw dark and ominous around him when Plo Koon enters the room with Padawan Tano.

“We have a situation, we received a transmission from the bounty hunters.” Plo moves to the holo table, and Skywalker helps him up so they can follow. “They apparently took hostages.” A cold weight settles in his stomach when the image pops up. Three troopers, bound, gagged, and on their knees, before Aurra Sing and Boba Fett. Something immediately tells him the one on the left is Ponds, even in blank armor, even through the grainy transmission, its Ponds.

“Mace Windu,” Boba starts, a blaster clenched in his fist, “you were lucky to escape.” He puts the blaster to the back of Ponds’ skull and every muscle in Mace’s body goes tight. “Your friends here were not so lucky.”

Aurra Sing kicks Ponds, forcing him down further, “until you face Boba, these men will be killed. _One at a time._ ” The Force darkens further as fear and anger start to bubble up inside him, Mace immediately pushes it down. At his side, Skywalker casts him a nervous glance. “What’s your name?” Ponds doesn’t respond so she kicks him again. Mace’s eyes narrow at the pained groan he lets out. “NAME!”

“CT-411.” Ponds grinds out.

 _Wait._ That’s not right. Ponds’ designation is CC-6465. And Ponds… Ponds knows there’s a difference between a name and a designation. He knows that he’s a person, not some biological machine created by the Kaminoans. _Ponds knows this!_

The bounty hunter scoffs, “pathetic, Boba do it.” Fett raises his blaster again, and presses the muzzle to Ponds’ head. Mace watches him tense, arm going rigid. His brow furrows as he frowns. “Boba!” Sing chastises and the young man redoubles his efforts, this time his hesitation twice as noticeable. All at once he slackens, body deflating as he admits defeat, and lowers his blaster.

Without hesitation Sing lowers hers and takes the shot. Ponds drops out of frame, and the trooper next to him flinches at the sight. Mace’s gut clenches, making his wounds sing with pain. The three other Jedi gasp, Tano covering her mouth with a hand, eyes wide.

“That was Ponds.” Skywalker says mournfully.

“Only two to go, Windu. Come and find us, we’ll be waiting.” With that Sing cuts the transmission and a heavy silence descends on the group.

“Mace…” Plo says, a hand outstretched to offer comfort, but Mace is already moving toward the door. He doesn’t say anything as he leaves, too caught up in trying to figure out why the Force feels so wrong. Something twists sharp and sudden in his stomach. That was Ponds, even though he gave the wrong designation, Mace could feel it was him. He’d seen with his own two eyes that Ponds had taken a blaster bolt point blank to the head. _Then why could he still feel him?_

He doesn’t have a Force bond with his commander, but working so close with him has made some sort of connection between them. It’s the reason why he knows when Ponds is wounded on the battlefield. It's dangerously close to an attachment, but Mace is self-aware enough to know that this war has changed much about the Jedi Order, and some of their beliefs might have to fall to the wayside until peace is restored.

Mace walks quickly to the hangar, typing a comm number into his vambrace furiously.

“General Windu?” A voice answers once the call goes through.

“Sergeant Hunter, I have a mission for you.”

“Of course, sir. What would you like us to do?”

“Go immediately to these coordinates,” he rattles off the numbers where he can still feel Ponds in the Force, “there is a ship there, it should be stationary, on it are at least two bounty hunters, they have taken three troopers hostage, one of which is gravely wounded. You are to capture the ship and save the hostages and provide whatever medical attention you can.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sergeant.”

“Yes, general?”

“Boba Fett is on that ship. Do whatever you can to make sure he is captured alive, I would like to speak with him.”

It takes Hunter a moment to reply, “of course, sir.”

“Thank you. I will see you there. May the Force be with you.” Mace cuts the line just as he arrives at his ship. The WAC droids scrambled out of his way, one tripping over itself in a way that would have made Ponds chuckle, were he here.

But he isn’t, and Mace has to rectify that while his commander is still clinging to life. He straps into the pilot’s seat and punches in the coordinates. He pulls out of the hangar and clears his route with the control tower and watches the galaxy bend around him as he enters hyperdrive.


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: vague descriptions of head wounds
> 
> Mando'a translations in the end notes

The first thing Ponds feels upon waking is how much his neck and back hurt. The muscles are pulled painfully tight. Adding to it all, something warm and wet is dripping down and pooling next to his cheek where it’s smushed against the floor. 

Opening his eyes does nothing, all he can see is the dull grey of the durasteel floor, and it  _ hurts _ , even the dim, shifting of light as people move around him makes his eyes burn, so he keeps them closed and focuses on his other senses. If he strains, he can hear hushed voices over the thrumming of his pulse. It sounds like an argument, the words clipped, but he can’t make out the words. 

“Fine!” One of them shouts, loud enough for him to understand. “Do what you want.” There’s the sound of footsteps and the screech of metal on metal. For a moment all is quiet, then the sound of more footsteps, shuffling, nervous, growing louder until they stop right next to him. 

“Boba…” A voice he recognizes as a clone says.  _ Boba? _ Like…Jango’s kid?  _ That  _ Boba? Why is he with Boba? What happened? 

Ponds tries to remember, the ship was going down, and then it crashed, he’d found Admiral Killian’s body, and then… 

“Quiet!” Boba yells and Ponds’ ears ring, “it had to be done. That…that  _ Jetii _ can’t get away with this!” The clone sighs in defeat and the room falls silent once again. Ponds thinks that’s the end of it until he feels a small hand on his shoulder. 

“What are you doing?” The clone asks. Boba doesn’t reply, muttering something under his breath as he tries to roll Ponds’ slumped body onto his back. “Boba!” He tries again, more forcefully.

“Usen’ye!” He cries, voice cracking. “Just because-- because I hate that Jetti doesn’t mean… it doesn’t mean…” 

“Then why did you do it?” A new voice, also a clone, hisses. Their voices are different, just barely, but enough for him to notice. “ _ Why did he have to die? _ ” Is he dead?—Ponds wonders. No… he couldn’t be, he doesn’t feel dead. 

“I don’t know… I don’t know…” Boba’s definitely crying now, Ponds can hear it, and his hands shake where they’ve latched onto his shoulders. For one terribly long moment the only sound is that of Boba’s sniffles as he cries. 

“Uncuff us.” The first clone says, voice even. 

“What?” 

“Uncuff us, we can help. He deserves better than this.” 

“But-- but Aurra said--”

“That  _ beroya _ doesn’t care about you,” the second clone spits, words laced with venom. “Do you even know who she is? She’s called the Jedi Hunter, she used to be one of them. She isn’t doing this because she believes in you, she’s doing this for her own gain. She doesn’t care about you, Boba, you’re just another clone to her.”

“There are a lot of ways to avenge Jango, killing vode is not one of them.” The first clone says. Boba is silent, then there are the sound of footsteps and the click of binders disengaging. 

All three of them come back to Ponds, two at his head, one at his side. One of them takes off his own binders and Ponds would sigh with relief if he could as his arms fall limp at his sides. 

“Hold his shoulders.” The first instructs, and Boba’s hands return. “Okay, one… two… three.” They flip him and the pain is so sharp when the back of his head touches the floor his fingers twitch even though he can’t really feel them. Boba gasps and one of the others is quick to reassure him.

“It’s okay kid, the residual energy from the blaster bolt has his neurons firing. It’s okay. It’s normal.” 

Ponds wants to clench his jaw but doesn’t have the strength to because;  _ no, it was him, he’s still alive.  _

“You still have his armour?” 

“Yeah.” Boba’s voice is small and shaky.

“Go get it.” Ponds hears Boba's shuffling steps as he heads toward the exit. The clone at his side moves over him, reaching for the mag-clamps that keep his breastplate secure. Ponds pulls all his remaining strength together and opens his eyes. The clone pulls back and the light overhead shines straight into his eyes. 

“KRIFF!” 

“What?!” The other clone says.

“His-- His pupils dilated. He’s not dead.” Ponds hears Boba’s steps stop.

“What? That’s not possible.” 

“Check his pulse!” 

Hands scramble at the collar of his blacks. Two seconds pass. Then five. 

“HOLY KRIFFING SITHSPIT!!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really short, but I couldn't find a way to have it flow into the next part without it seeming really sudden, so...  
> Also, in legends Aurra Sing was Jedi Padawan assigned to the Dark Woman, but left and became a Jedi hunter. The two clone troopers with Ponds haven't introduced themselves, but the first one's name is Mac and the second one is Koi.
> 
> Mando'a Translations  
> Jetii - Jedi  
> Usen'ya - shut up, very rude  
> Beroya - bounty hunter  
> Vode - siblings/brothers/sisters, can also mean 'brothers in arms'

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! Thank you so much for reading!!  
> In case you might be wondering how Ponds could survive a blaster shot to the back of the head, there are several real life instances of people surviving getting shot in the head. The cases I used for reference when figuring out how Ponds' survival might work are Phineas Gage (who got a railroad spike shot through his head, and, NOT ONLY was awake immediately after it happened but could walk and talk when he was taken to the doctor!!) and former-Representative Gabbie Giffords (who also was awake immediately after getting shot in the head and could follow basic tasks.) Both of these individuals made significant recoveries, Phineas Gage was able to work on his parents farm for the rest of his life, and while Gabbie Giffords resigned from the House of Representatives she still does work in activism.  
> There are also a lot of continuity errors involving Ponds' death too, most obvious is him giving the designation CT-411 when all commanders have designation starting with CC, and, at the very end of the scene, when we see Ponds' body floating in space, he's in different armor that what he was killed in and there is no visible head wound. Blaster wounds in general are really weird because there's so many different representations of them across Star Wars. I the live action stuff when someone shoots a storm trooper they get a small scorch mark on their armor and are considered to be dead immediately, but in the animated shows a blaster wound kind of looks like if someone got stabbed by a lightsaber, with a circular hole clean through the body that's been cauterized.


End file.
